DONEGAL GAA clubs owe E170,000 to the county board in unpaid levies, prompting a call for the appointment of a Commercial Manager for the county.
And county champions Naomh Conaill’s chairman David Kelch has also called for an end to the levies as cash-strapped clubs count the cost of the Covid 19.
Kelch has urged the county board to consider appointing a commercial manager to make up for any losses due to an end to the levies.
And he believes the county should target the large Donegal diaspora who contributed hugely to the recent hugely successful 'House In Dublin Draw' which gained the county and estimated E750,000 in profit.
It has emerged in County Treasurer Alan Boyd’s annual report that a total of 19 clubs had still not paid their annual levies to the board and a total of E170,000 in levies has still not been paid.
Of the remaining 21, only 12 clubs had paid their levies in full, with a further nine entering into a payment plan.
Donegal clubs have been badly hit with virtually no gates and no Lotto to pay the bills.
But Kelch said he was not surprised at the number of clubs who had not yet paid their levies.
“We in Naomh Conaill have paid 2/3 of the E6,500 levy due, but will not be paying the rest of it as we have seen how many clubs have not paid anything,'' he said.
“We did ask for the levies to be suspended at the start of the first lockdown last spring.
“I am not surprised that 19 clubs have not yet paid their levies as it has been a terrible year for the clubs as we have no money coming in and we still have bills, insurance and a player injury fund to pay every year.”
He added: ''I have great sympathy for the county board and welcome the fact that they have said they will engage with the clubs.
“This is very reasonable in trying times.
“But, if there was a proper fund-raising structure put in place and a Commercial Manager appointed to run commercial and fund-raising activities it would greatly ease the burden on clubs and the county board.
“If a Commercial Manager with a proven track record in fund-raising and sponsorship was appointed it would also take some of the pressure off the genuine hard-working people who have to earn their own living as well as run and promote the GAA in Donegal.
“Of course, there is a big difference between Donegal and the likes of Cork or Dublin, but I believe we have a great opportunity to tap into the very large Donegal diaspora abroad.
“Most of the sales for the very successful 'House In Dublin Draw' were from abroad.
“There is enormous goodwill towards Donegal all over the world and if that could be harnessed on a yearly basis with some incentive for that diaspora to be part of their native county, we could see huge financial benefits.”
Donegal made an estimated E750,000 profit from that highly-successful draw but much of that money is needed for the on-going development of the Centre of Excellence in Convoy.
Kelch stressed: “The levy should go, it is like a tax on the clubs.”
